Shinobi
by oO PLACEBO Oo
Summary: Shinobi once controlled the world through their actions and underground movements. They drew strength from their passions, they were driven by desire, and they could even turn hatred into a worthy ally. Yet, they were told to turn their backs on these things - the very feelings that made them human.


Naruto belongs to Masashi Kishimoto

Rated: M

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"To abandon your duty is not courageous, below the courageous there is nothing."

\- Yondaime Hokage, Namikaze Minato

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**SHINOBI**

**The End is The Beginning**

What can change the nature of man?

Does man change when the world is taken away from him? Or will he change when he takes the world from someone else? If he changes, will he rise a hero and fight for good or a desolate villain who will bring the world to an end? What is it that makes a man a man? Is it his origins? The way he comes to life?

Or is it something else? Something much harder to describe?

It is said that a man's mortality is a compass that points his way in life. It is up to us, to draw the line between what's right and what's wrong. There are times where we fail to do just that. There are times when people do bad things for good reasons. Sometimes, it is very difficult to gauge what is good and evil.

In life, there are seldom clear-cut beginnings - moments where we can look back and say, 'this is how it started'. Yet there are other moments where life throws us inexplicable situations that either make or break us.

This story does not start in a faraway place nor with a 'Once upon a time'. The lives of these characters were not fairy tales, and most did not meet a happy ending. I cannot change how everything happened or place my own views in order to give this story a hero and villain.

There are only two facts: One death saved thousands and two, a single second of hesitation brought down an entire nation.

Shinobi once controlled the world through their actions and underground movements. They drew strength from their passions, they were driven by desire, and they could even turn hatred into a worthy ally. Yet, they were told to turn their backs on these things - the very feelings that made them human.

It was simple. Emotions interfered with missions, it built hesitation that would, otherwise, lead to disadvantage. Disadvantage led to failure. Shinobi were machines of war bred for destruction, tools, human weapons, waiting to be used. They were to kill whoever it was ordered to kill, whether they wanted to or not.

Failure was unacceptable.

Many died in missions and wars. Even the strongest died easily and in surprisingly simple ways. With one final breath, they seized to exist - leaving behind everything created during life. Becoming nothing than the passing dream of yesterday, a forgotten memory.

To be forgotten is a warrior's worst nightmare.

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There are consequences to every action; it is just not always so obvious at the time. You never really know how things are going to work out or how you're going to feel until afterward - thus, regret is born. You may not be able to change anything, but at least you can feel bad about it. Never mind that it might haunt you for the rest of your life.

Right now, the past was pretty much irrelevant, other than the fact that it had led to the present. The current present was a terribly uncertain place of fear and restless doubt. They had placed their hopes and dreams in the future. Afterall, the future would always be there to allay their fears, and to make both the past and the present bearable.

Time stood still. Three figures stared each other down with profound determination. Each of them searching calculating, coldly. They had their times. No matter what. There had been some good times, some happy, some sad. In the end, reality stepped in. Childish laughter and ideals were outgrown to be replaced with the path each had taken. Some for the better, others for the worse.

For two of them, it was clear that the idea of a future was slowly fading away.

After years of trying to save each other from their own personal demons, they had finally arrived at the conclusion of their respective fates. They had fought hard to change their own destinies without results. Their fate remained the same. It all led to this, their final battle.

As if by programmed default, both held their hitae-ate up. Each nodded in a silent understanding that spoke for itself, I respect you, Shinobi.

It was ironic that every time they ended a part of their connection or began one anew, it was in the same place. The valley had been warped since the first battle they fought amongst themselves.

What once was a large mountain adorned with the statues of two of the founding fathers of Konohagakure No Sato, now only held crumbled rock with a waterfall that fell in rushing torrents down to the river below. No trace of statues in sight.

The banks of the river no longer held water lilies or amphibian life. Trees that had previously survived wars and had offered shelter to the wildlife no longer stood. Instead, craters, debris, and the occasional burned branch or twisted stump protruded from the ground here and there.

If there was a lesson tonight, it's that there wasn't room for chance in this "business." Lives depended on certainty. Reason. Intellect. Skill. Nothing else was supposed to matter. They were the cause leading to the greater effect. The major impact. The turning point in the story.

The brunette, the taller of the three, pursed his lips tightly. He was no longer the volatile boy that sought revenge against the world. No longer was he a pawn in anyone's plan. He had learned from his mistakes and it was his duty to finish what they started. He had played a role in their current predicament, he understood that now, and he would make it right, damned his pride and his family name. His hand never left the Katana safely strapped to its holster on his waist. His long black hair was tied in a high ponytail that easily fell past his shoulders. He was dressed in a black Kyudo-Gi, his left sleeve hung loose, leaving his left arm exposed. The left arm was adorned with an oriental tatuagem of hawks. The bottom of the black Hakama he wore was tucked into matching black Tabi boots. He would've resembled a civilian noble if it hadn't been for the black blindfold that covered his eyes and the amount of visible muscle that no doubt spoke of the strict training regime he followed.

The woman next to him had changed from what he remembered. Once her hair was kept short in spiky layers, now it fell down her left shoulder in a neat fishtail braid. At some point in their lives, this girl with jade eyes shined hope into the hopeless, and once she had brought justice to those who didn't have any. Once she believed in the good of humanity. Now in her place, stood a battle-hardened Kunoichi in every sense of the word. She had once claimed that she would never be caught wearing an outfit that didn't make her look like the princess she was brought up to be. Now, she stood before them in a simple black dress with a floral Obi. She used a matching black Yukata on top, which was left opened as if it was a jacket or coat. She was crouched down on her black combat boots, her eyes switching between the blonde standing across from her and her surroundings, scanning for any chakra signatures, senbon needles on each glowing hand, ready to be used. Her chest had finally filled in, her face and body seemed to hold a feline composure, her jade eyes devoid of any emotion, a long-jagged scar ran down her left eye. A reminder of her former battle with the blonde in front of her, one that she refused to heal. The lower part of her face was covered in a black facemask hat resembled their former sensei's.

The third person was by far who had changed the most. Where Sakura Haruno and Sasuke Uchiha had changed merely because they had matured into adulthood, Naruto had merged with his demon. His blonde hair had an orange tint to it and was now long and spiky, a mixture of the pictures he had seen from the Yondaime Hokage and a feral demon. The whisker-like scars on his face were more pronounced. His eyes were no longer blue but blood red that seemed to glow as the very chakra he was emitting. He wore simple black cargo pants, ninja sandals, and a black robe that reminded Sasuke of what the Akatsuki wore, without the red clouds, with no shirt underneath. The blonde wore Konoha's Hitae-ate with a scratch through it, marking his status as Missing Nin across his neck like a necklace. There was a red miasma around him that made the air and plant life around him decay. The blonde held a kunai that seemed more for show than for use. His clawed hands, no doubt would be doing more damage than any weapon would.

"Ironic that this time we're faced in opposite sides," The blonde growled out to the other two, his canine fangs visible. "I will not hesitate for either of you."

His former teammates stared down at each other. Until Sakura spoke. "You know it was bound to come to this. It was always about us three. We started it and we can end it together. I made a deal with a demon, after all. I plan to see things to the end."

"You should know better than to keep deals with demons." Sasuke muttered, "There is no coming back from this. If I'm slain and fall in battle today, let it be on my own terms, and not because of the demon."

"You poor children. Thinking that you can stop the world from changing. There is no stopping the endless cycle of death. You know my terms. I wouldn't waste my time here today if I hadn't agreed to yours." Naruto growled, his eyes narrowing. He slipped off the cloak to reveal an assortment of seals covering his body starting from the seal in his stomach.

"Then this is goodbye friends," Sakura smirked.

The blonde snarled impassively, "Your friend died a long time ago. Both of you made sure to kill him slowly. I kept him strong until he withered away into nothingness. Now there is only me." His hands glowed red with chakra, almost like mist.

The winds had calmed down. The swishing sound of the tall dried grass stopped. Even the river seemed to flow gently. Other than the sounds of thundering clouds, signaling the approaching storm, the valley was quiet. As if the heavens itself waited patiently for their next move.

The sudden shrill cry of an eagle up above gave the clear start of the battle long postponed.

The three of them took off, aiming at each other. The final fight had begun.


End file.
